...former Peace Corps volunteers said his experience was not international enough to manage the agency, which has a $275 million yearly budget.

Bush administration officials "seem to have no respect or care for the agency," said John Coyne, editor of Peace Corps Writers, which publishes works by former volunteers. "Can you imagine the veterans accepting a leader who had no military experience?"

Dane Smith, president of the National Peace Corps Association, said that although he would be looking forward to meeting Vasquez, the NPCA is "disappointed that a returned Peace Corps volunteer was not chosen, as we believe there was many qualified people to choose from."